Display rack



S E. LARSON DISPLAY RACK Jan. 17, 1928.

Filed March 9. 1927' Patented Jan. 17, 1928. i

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EN OGH LARSON, OF ELDORA, IOWA.

nIsrLAY RACK.

Applicattonfledllarch 9,1927. Serial No. 113,925.

The objectrof my invention is to provide a display raclrtor shoes of simple, durable and ineXpen-sive construction. 1

a It ismy purpose to provide a display rack for shoes of a knock-down type, which can be assembled ortaken down andpacked in Y wardly, sofas to afford the most satisfactory 'Tdisplay ofthe shoes. l

With these and other objects in View, my

invention consists in the construction, ar-

.rangement and combination of the various parts of my display rack, whereby the obqectsicontemplhted are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings,; 1 in which: a p Figure'l shows anend elevation of a display rack embodying my invention.

1 Figure 2 is a front elevation of the same. Figurefl isa" erspectiveview ofone of the shoe supporting racks with the central portion thereof broken away and omitted; and: a a 1 Figures is a detail, sectional view taken ontheline 4-4 of Figure 1.v l l V My improved display rackforshoes may bemadesin as manyunits asjmay be desired. A unit has two end members. The end memberslcomprise an upright indicated in theaccompfiznying drawings by the refer-. enee numeral ltl and may be ofwood or any suitable -m1aterial. Spaced laterally from each end member 10 on opposite sides I 1 thereof are supportingymembers 11, which i are inclined from the horizontal from their lower efids toward the adjacent member 10 at theirupperends, as illustrated in Fig- The supporting members 11 and the end member 10 at ea'chend of the complete unit are connected by cross bars 12 arranged in vertical, parallel series on opposite sides of the end member 10. The cross members 12 are secured to the members 11 and 10 by means of bolts 14 asshown in Figure 1.

The bars 12 are inclined from the member 10 downwardly and outwardly to the members 11 as shown in Figure 1. At their inner ends, where they are secured to the .member 10, the ends are beveled as indicated at 16 in Figure 1, for

rigidity to the display rack.

The lower cross bars 12 are connected givlng better with the member 10 by braces 18 bolted to these lower cross bars between their ends as at 20and to the member 10 as at 22.

()nthe top of each cross bar 112 between the ends thereof is a short bar 24:.

The upright '10 extends upwardly above the upper cross bars 12 and has in its upper end a notch 26.

there a single unit is employed, it is provided with two of the end members, such as that shown in Figure 1.

Where it is desired to provide two or more units. then atthe extreme ends of the 'completed display rack, I useendmembers, such as that shown in Figure 1. and intermediate of the respective units, I use a supporting intermediate member, which issim ilar to that shown in Figure 1 with the following modifications: a This intermediate supportingmember has an upright 10 similar to the upright 10. It hason its opposite sides, sets of members 12 and 12 similar to the members 12and secured to the upright 10 in thesame manner that-the members. 12 are secured to the upright 10. 7

At the outer ends of the members 12" and 12 are members 11' and 11 similar to the members-11 shown in Figure 1.

I have indicated the end member shown in Figure 1 by the reference character A and the intermediate support shown inFigure 2 by the indicating character B. The members B are similarto the members A, except however, that the members B have two sets of cross bars 12 and 12" insteadof one set 12 and'hav'e two sets of members llrand ll -insteadof the members 11.

The members B may also have four of the braces 18 instead of two of them as shown in Figure 1.

I will now describe the manner in which a unit is built up.

It will be understood that a unit ma have two members A if desired, but I Wlll describe my display rack as though it were made of two units with members A at the extreme ends and one intermediate member B.

In such a structure the members A and B are connected by shoe racks or shelves, such as that indicated generally at G in Figure 3.

Each shoe rack has generally speaking the form of a rectangular frame, comprising the longitudinal frame members 28, and 80, which are connected near their ends by the connecting bars or frame members 32 secured to the undersides of the members 28 and 30. The member 28 is preferably thicker from top to bottom than the member 30 for reasons, which will be hereafter explained.

I provide a clip at each end of each member 28 and 30. These clips indicated gen erally at D are made in. the form of angle bars, each having a substantially horizontal flange 34 secured to the underside of the member 28 or 30 as the case may be, and projecting between that member and the frame member 32.

At the outer end of each portion 34, the clip D has a downwardly projecting flange or ear 36 flush with the end of the member 28 or 30.

In assembling the units of the display rack, the shoeracks or shelves C are placed in position with the ends of. the members 28 and 30 resting upon the bars 12 and 12 or 12 The bars 12 and 12 or 12 are received between the members 32 and the flanges 36 as clearly shown in Figure 4.

The parts are assembled so that the members 24 fit snugly between the members 28 and 30, as shown for instance in Figure 1.

The members 10 and 10" may be connected by cross brace wires, cables or the like 38, which are preferably connected with the members 10 and 10 by means of hooks 40 and rings 42, but may beconnected in any suitable way.

It is thus seen that I have provided a display rack having a number of substantial advantages.

It is preferably made mainly of wood but may be made of any suitable material adapted for the purpose. If made of metal, it may be painted or colored to represent wood.

I have provided a display rack for shoes, which may be assembled in as many units as may be desired.

If only one unit is preferred, I use two 7 of the end members A and a suitable number of shoe racks or shelves C. If two units are desired, I use two end members A, one inter diate member B, and as many shoe racks as are required.

It will be seen that several units may be assembled if desired. 1

The jobber or dealer need keep on hand only three kinds of units, to-wit, the units A, B and C, together with the wire or cable braces 38.

In installing the display rack in a store, as many of the units may be built up as may be desired.

When the units are assembled, they are strong and rigid and they afford means for displaying shoes in a most advantageous wa a n account of the slant or inclination of the members 12, 12 and 12", it will be seen that the shoes are displayed so as to afford a satisfactory inspection. They are tilted downwardly and forwardly somewhat for more convenient examination.

The members 28 are somewhat thicker than the members 30 to afford ample strength for supporting the heavier weight of the shoes. The'members 30 are slightly thinner than the members 28 because they do not need to support so much weight.

The making the members 28 thicker than the members 30 also contributes to the convenient placing of the shoe as indicated at 44 in its downwardly and forwardly tilted position, since the member 28 rests under the inste of the shoe, while the member 30 rests an or the forward part of the shoe.

The members of each unit are securely locked together and the difi'erent units are rigidly connected.

The rack can be taken down readily and packed into a very small space for transportation and storage by releasing the tie braces 38 and liftin off the shoe racks C, whereupon the mem ers A and B can be laid down fiat and the members C piled thereon.

I have thus provideda rack which can be conveniently packed or shipped in knockdown form, occupying a minimum of space.'

The rack can, however, be put together without the use of nails, bolts, screws or other loose parts and when assembled will be strong and rigid. p

The shoes are held in a very advantageous position for examination by the customer.

The shoe racks are so placed as to make the placing of the shoes thereon convenient and easy.

The rack has a sightly appearance.

Bars 46 may be placed in the notches 26 to afford means for supporting advertising cards, signs and so on. This explains the reason for extending the members 10 and 10" above the upper bars 12.

Heretofore it has been difficult to advanc the realspirit and purpose ofmy invention,

and it is my intention to cover by my claims,

any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents, which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim as my invention? 1. In a shoe display rack, end members each comprising central uprights, cross bars secured thereto and inclined downwardly therefrom on opposite sides thereof, sup-" porting members fixed to the outer ends of said cross bars and inclined from their upper ends outwardly anddownwardly, brace members connecting said central, upri ht members with certain of the cross bars, s 0e rack s each comprising spaced longitudinal frame members connected near their ends by bars secured to their undersides, and downwardly projectingengaging members on the shoe racks spaced outwardly from saidlastdescribed bars, said racks being placed on said end members with the bars of the end members received between the cross bars and downwardly extending members of the respective shoe racks.

2. In a shoe display rack, end members each com rising an upright, bars fixed to the uprig t in pairs extending downwardly and away therefrom in opposite directions, uprights spaced from said central member on opposite sides thereof and fixed to the ends of the respective series of bars, an intermediate supporting member similar to theend member, except that it has double sets of the bars, and upright supports at the other ends thereof, bars being arranged on opposite sides of the central upright of said intermediate member, and shoe racks for connecting the end members with the intermediate member, comprising spaced longi tudinal members connected by transverse end members secured to the underside of the longitudinal members near their ends, and downwardly projecting members on the longitudinal members spaced from the cross members of said shoe racks, the longitudinal members of said shoe racks resting on the respective bars of the end members, and intermediatememberawith the bars of said end members and intermediate members received between the respective cross. members and downwardly projecting members of the shoe racks.

Des Moines, Iowa, March 3, 1927.

ENOCH LARSON. 

